


Ask Me Again

by Evangeline_Ekiss



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, How season 8 should have gone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-06 01:25:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18840790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evangeline_Ekiss/pseuds/Evangeline_Ekiss
Summary: Instead of ignoring Arya’s assassin skills in Season 8 they are put to use. My attempt at fixing the horribleness that is Season 8.





	Ask Me Again

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously I do not own this. GRRM does and D&D abuse it.   
> This is unedited and just kinda came out due to my frustration at the murder of one of my favorite series.

They all surrounded the war table and Grey Worm starts off stating that most of the Dothraki were destroyed and only half of the Unsullied remain. Jon states that half of the Northern & Vale armies were destroyed as well.   
Varys tells them that the Golden Company was delivered to King’s Landing by Euron Greyjoy’s fleet.   
Daenerys says they must attack King’s Landing and rip Cersei out root and stem. Tyrion warns that a direct assault would result is too many civilian casualties and that is would turn the smallfolk against her. He suggests a siege.   
Varys adds that she is gaining new allies in the new Prince of Dorne and that Yara has retaken the Iron Islands.   
Daenerys insists that they must attack now as the only reason she is considered a queen is because she sits on the Iron Throne.   
Sansa pipes up. “Did you know that for the last few years that Arya was in Braavos, training at the House of Black and White?”  
Varys froze while Missandei and Grey Worm looked shocked.   
“Where is your sister?” Daenerys asked harshly.  
“She and Sandor Clegane rode south last night after the feast,” Sansa responded calmly.   
“And why did she do that?” Daenerys asked through gritted teeth. “I did not give permission for them to leave.”  
“She has left to kill Cersei,” Sansa said simply. “It was her goal before returning to Winterfell and now that Winterfell is safe, she is continuing that mission. Sandor is going to kill his brother as has been his goal for all of his life.”  
“Do you think she can do this?” Tyrion asked hopefully.   
“She knows about the secret tunnels under the Red Keep and has been planning on killing Cersei for years. She has the means and the motivation. She can get in, kill Cersei, Euron and Qyburn. Once she does that the Iron Throne will be yours and it shall be a bloodless battle.”  
“And if she does not then we will have lost valuable time and given Cersei more time to gain allies,” Daenerys said.   
“She’s a faceless assassin who has completed her training, She can act as Cersei and send the Golden Company back to Essos and then open the gates for you to ride in.”  
“Why would your sister do this?” Daenerys sneered.  
Sansa just barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes but could not contain the huff that left her. “She was there when my father’s head rolled down the steps of the Sept of Baelor. She has spoken a list of name of those she is going to kill since she was 12. Cersei and the Mountain are the last on that list. She is doing this for her revenge but also for Jon and the North. If she can keep them from riding south and dying in battle then she will. The men in our family don’t do well in the South,” Sansa’s face hardened in pain.   
“I won’t rest my chances on one girl and the Hound,” Daenerys sniffed.   
“Give her three weeks, that’s all I ask,” Sansa requested. “It will give her enough time to end this but if she fails it will also give the armies enough time to rest and heal. It would be a waste to take a tired and injured army south just for half to die along the way.” When Daenerys looked to argue Sansa continued. “Your dragons were injured as well. It would be better to give them time to heal so that they cannot be brought down by Cersei and her scorpions. It will also give time for the Dornish army and Yara to come to assist if a battle is needed.”  
Daenerys sneers. “I came north to fight alongside you at great cost to my armies and myself. Now that the time has come to reciprocate, you want to postpone.”  
Sansa’s eyes flash in anger but her voice remained calm. “I wish to save the most lives as I can. If Arya succeeds you will be the hero who routed out Cersei and freed the smallfolk of her tyranny without any casualties. You will prove that Cersei was spreading lies about you coming to kill them all. Cersei is hated by the smallfolk and the other lords of Westeros but they are scared of you after the Lannister army was destroyed by your dragon. If you allow this and have a bloodless takeover they will see you do not needlessly take lives.”  
“She’s right, Your Grace,” Tyrion agreed. “Show them the liberator who freed Slaver’s Bay and they will realize that they are finally getting a just queen who cares for her people. That is something they have not had in a long time, and only you can give them this.”  
“Dany,” Jon spoke up, “you told me on Dragonstone that you want to show them you are different from the rulers they have known. This is a way to do this and a way to protect the rest of your armies.”  
Her shoulders relaxed and she just nodded. “Three weeks and then we march south and take King’s Landing by force.”  
The entire war room sagged in relief and Daenerys took notice and with a pinched look left.   
“Jon,” Sansa called. He remained in the room as everyone else left. “Thank you for supporting me.”  
“It was the right call,” he said simply.  
Her eyebrows scrunched together. “Anyway, I just wanted to thank you.” She swept out of the room.  
“Sansa,” he called. She turned in the doorway. “Why didn’t you tell me about Arya?”  
She tensed. “It wasn’t my secret to tell. We only decided one this course to keep you alive. We’re a pack Jon, and will protect you no matter the cost.” She left before he could say more. 

Arya and Sandor made excellent time arriving to the capital. It was a nice and silent ride for the most part which both of them appreciated.   
The one exception was when he asked about Gendry.   
“He ever find you that night?”  
“Who?” Arya asked.  
“That bastard blacksmith,” Sandor replied. “Was itching about to find you during the feast before the Dragon Queen named him Lord of Storm’s End.”  
“He found me,” she replied shortly.   
A few minutes she added. “He proposed, asked me to the be the Lady of Storm’s End.”  
Sandor snorted. “Stupid fucker. He’d have better luck asking you to be the protector of Storm’s End. You said no.”   
It wasn’t a question but she still answered. “I told him that wasn’t me.”  
When they arrived they saw people swarming the capital.   
“Crafty bitch,” Arya snorted. “Using people as a human shield.”  
Sandor just grunted.   
She led him to the entrance of the tunnels she found when chasing cats and led him up into the Red Keep. She watched them for a few days and then decided to strike at night. She snuck up behind Euron after he left for Cersei’s chambers and using her dagger stabbed the blade at the base of his skull dropping him instantly. She dragged him into an empty room and set about taking his face.   
Once she completely settled into being Euron Greyjoy she continued to Cersei’s room. She was easily admitted and found Cersei laying in her bed giving a forced smile.   
Euron smirked and swaggered over to the bed. He crawled on top and straddled her. He ran his hands up her body and placed one hand on her next and the other on her cheek.   
“I’ve been looking forward to this all day,” he said leering at her.   
Before she could respond the hand around her throat tightened and his other hand on her cheek lowered to join the first.   
Her eyes bulged and she started to scratch at his face and buck but his weight was too much for her to make a difference. As her struggles weakened he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Winter has come for you, Cersei Lannister.”  
Her eyes widened further and one hand raised up to pull of the face.   
Arya smiled down and Cersei tried to gasp. She returned her hands to Cersei’s pale throat. “I’ve been planning your death since your son killed my father. The Starks send their regards.”  
The queen stilled moments later. One more name was crossed off Arya’s list. She spent the rest of her time taking her face.   
The next morning she left down to Qyburn’s chambers with the Mountain silently trailing behind her.   
“Stand outside and guard us,” she ordered and marched inside.   
“My Queen,” he said bowing deeply. “How can I help you?”  
“Do you have any of the wildfire in here? I want it in case the dragon bitch makes her way to the throne room. I want her to die in the ways used by her father.” Cersei smiled maliciously.   
Qyburn smiled and showed her the small jar on his table. “We can always grab more that is hidden under the city.”  
“I can always count on you,” she said happily.   
He bowed again and she took advantage and slit his throat before he could rise.   
She grabbed the jar and stared down at him as he choked on his own blood. “You served well but I no longer need a Hand.” Grabbing her skirt she swept out of the office and up to the throne room. She called forth Harry Strickland and tossed him a large sack of gold.   
“The Dragon Bitch is dead, killed by the treasonous cunt Sansa Stark and her bastard brother. I no longer have need of your services. I’ll have the Iron Fleet take you back to Essos.”  
He looked confused but just grabbed the bag and left. She waited for an hour and called over a captain of the Lannister army.   
“:Euron and the Golden Company have betrayed us. Make sure that a barrel of wildfire is put onto every ship and once they are all boarded burn the fleet. Destroy them all.”   
He was wide eyed but agreed and left with his men. Later that evening the entire bay went up in green flames once more and explosions rocked the night. She went to the rookery and sent a scroll with Cersei’s lion pendant inside it up to Winterfell. Her signal to Sansa that the Red Keep was theirs.   
The next day sitting in the throne room she watched as Sandor walked up to the throne. The Mountain growled next to her and stomped forward to face his brother.   
“Hello brother,” Sandor spat. “I vowed that I will kill you and I won’t leave before that happens.”  
Steel met steel and the fight was underway. Sandor knocked the Mountain’s helmet off him and Cersei could not contain a gasp in horror at the horribly disfigured face. Gregor threw Sandor into one of the pillars and then casually picked him back up and tossed him across the hall. Cersei watched in horror as Sandor was tossed around and finally smashed into the wall.   
With a roar Sandor kicked his brother in the chest sending him staggering back. Without giving him a second to recover Sandor swung and the Mountain’s head toppled off his shoulders. Staggering away from the body, the Hound dropped down to his knees gasping in pain. Cersei saw the body twitching and quickly walked over and poured the jar of wildfire on the remains. She drug the Hound further back and behind one of the pillars and tossed a torch onto the wildfire soaked corpse and watched as it burned to ash.   
Her list was finally done.   
She had Sandor taken to a room and a maester called to heal him. While she waited for the Dragon Queen and her armies to arrive she had the Lannisters empty all of the wildfire caches around the city into the bay and light it on fire. There was no reason to trust a Targaryen with the substance. She also had all of the pyromancers killed and any scrolls or tomes on its creation destroyed. A month later she heard the thundering that precluded dragons. Once the Unsullied and Dothraki stood outside the city she called the order to ring the bells in surrender and open the gates. She told the Lannister army to go to the entrance of the keep and lay down their arms.   
Daenerys, Tyrion Lannister, Varys, Grey Worm, Missandei and Jon entered the throne room a while later and found Cersei seated on the Iron Throne. She smirked at the group.   
“You sure did take your time,” she drawled.   
Daenerys tenses but Tyrion looked horrified.   
Cersei stood up and pulled off her face. Arya smiled wolfishly at their gobsmacked expressions. She strolled forward and threw the face into one of the braziers around the pillars. “The throne is yours.”  
Tyrion looked sick as he watched the face of his sister burn but Arya had no sympathy.   
Daenerys however just nodded and walked up to the Iron Throne. Her hand hesitated right above it before she pushed on and ran a hand along the seat her ancestor created. She finally sat and heaved a sigh of relief.   
Arya left and went to Cersei’s room to finally get out of the stupid dresses she had to wear the entire time and back into her clothing. Once she felt like herself again she grabbed Sandor and went back to the throne room.   
Tyrion and Varys were speaking off to the side of the throne and Jon and Daenerys were discussing something. Arya stood at the base of the steps up to the Iron Throne.   
“Your Grace.”  
“Ah Arya, your brother wondered where you had gone to.”  
Arya looked down at her clothes and then back up. “I have won the throne for you. Cersei, the Mountain, Qyburn, Euron Greyjoy, the entire Iron Fleet and all of the Golden Company have been destroyed, as well as all the Kingsguard. I also retrieved this from the Golden Company leader for you.” She pulled out a sword with a dragonhide scabbard. She brought it forth and handed it to the queen then retreated back down the stairs. “It is Blackfyre, the Targaryen ancestral blade.”  
Daenerys’ eyes went wide. “Thank you, Lady Arya. You have given me back a great treasure. Whatever you wish name it and I will give it to you.”  
Arya met her eyes and she said, “Legitimize Jon as a Stark and name him King of the North again. Let the North be independent.”  
Daenerys’ face clouded in anger.   
Arya ignored her and said bluntly. “Everyone here knows his true heritage but if you legitimize him as a Stark and let him be the King in the North then he will no longer have a claim to the Iron Throne. The North has suffered too much and swore it would never kneel again. That is what I want for giving you a bloodless war.”  
“Your brother already bent the knee to me,” she snarled.  
“Aye, because we needed your dragons to win against the dead. He’s not completely stupid and did what he needed to keep his people alive. And I bet he only caved in once he realized that you would never help the North without that. It almost meant his death, giving that vow but he didn’t care because my brother would die if it ensured the North would survive.”  
Daenerys visibly grappled for control of her anger. Arya just stood there staring at the queen, refusing to back down.   
“Ask for something else,” she commanded.  
“No,” Arya said resolutely. “You said to ask anything I wish and that is the only thing I wish. I want the North to be independent and my pack back together again.”  
“Arya,” Jon growled warningly. “I bent the knee. I never wanted to be king.”  
Arya snarled at her brother. “Fine, abandon your family and your people and remain here with your queen. Make Sansa queen in the North. She’s the one doing the actual ruling anyway. Since you won’t protect her, the title will. You can marry him and then he is no threat to your claim.”  
Jon looked as though she struck him. “Arya.”  
She shot him such an icy glare that he wanted to check for a White Walker nearby.   
“Your sister who hates me? You want me to name her Queen in the North.”  
“Sansa has vowed to never go South again and she will abide by that vow. The North love and trust her. She will be the best queen and she will be no threat to you. You’ve got your throne, your man and everything you’ve ever wanted. All we want is the North.”  
After tense moments of silence Daenerys finally hissed. “Fine.”  
Arya bowed. “Thank you. Once I have the decree I’ll ride North.” She turned and left.   
Sandor chuckled as they entered the hall. “You’ve got balls of steel, girl.”  
“I’m a wolf, Sandor. I was protecting my pack,” she replied.  
He looked shocked as she called him by his given name for the first time.   
She looked up at him. “Thank you, Sandor. For everything you did and taught me.”  
He looked uncomfortable so he just nodded.   
She ignored Jon over the next two days and was finally forced to speak to him when she was called to the Queens rooms and he was inside as well.   
“Your Grace,” she said, bowing her head. “You called for me?”  
Daenerys held out a scroll. “The decree you asked for.”  
Arya took it. “Thank you, Your Grace. I shall leave tonight back to Winterfell.”  
Daenerys held up a hand. “I named Jon Targaryen King of the North. I can trust him more than your sister.”  
Arya tensed and then just nodded.   
“Arya,” Jon said pleadingly.   
She just looked at him cooly. “I assume Sansa will remain the Lady of Winterfell?”  
Jon sighed. “Of course. I’m not going to kick her out of our home.”  
“Good, you’ll need her to deal with the Northern lords,” she sneered. “Is that all, Your Grace?”  
Daenerys narrowed her eyes. “I heard that you were close to the Lord of Storm’s End.”  
Arya’s face went blank. “Aye, I escaped King’s Landing with him.”  
“I also heard that he asked you to be the Lady of Storm’s End,” she said leadingly.  
“Aye and I said no,” Arya said bluntly.   
“I think it would be an advantageous match and would better relations between the North and the South kingdoms.”  
Arya’s face turned stony and she looked at Jon. “Is this an order from my King?”  
He ran his hand through his hair.   
“Yes,” Daenerys answered before he could speak. “It was one of the conditions of the North gaining independence. It was that or Sansa’s marriage to Tyrion would be reinstated.   
Arya barely held back the growl but her lips still curled up in a snarl.   
“You’ve slept with the man and obviously have feelings for him so it won’t be much of a hardship,” Daenerys said irritably.   
“Fine, I’ll be your hostage but if you touch my sister I will rip out your throat with my teeth.”  
Daenerys looked shocked at the threat and at her words. “You’re not a hostage.”  
“Don’t bother lying. You don’t trust my sister and you’re forcing this so if she steps out of line you have me here to threaten or kill unless Sansa backs down. It’s stupid as Sansa doesn’t fucking care about the Iron Throne. All she wants is safety and to never be under the power or control of anyone else.” She pulled out Needle and tossed it at Jon’s feet. “You’ll tell Sansa why she’ll never see her sister again and how you agreed to sell off her sister.”  
Arya laid the scroll on the table and left without being dismissed. She grabbed two large carafes of wine and barged into the Hounds room.   
“The fucking bastard sold me off like a broodmare!” She raged pouring them each a cup and then promptly draining hers.   
“What the fuck are you taking about?” Sandor griped grabbing his wine.  
“The Dragon bitch agreed to Northern independence but named Jon Targaryen King in the North and gave the condition that either I would have to marry Gendry and become the Lady of Storm’s End or they would reinstate Sansa’s marriage to Tyrion Lannister.” Her face crumpled. “I couldn’t let them do that to Sansa.”  
“Aye the Little Bird deserves better than that.”  
“I told them I would be her hostage and if she touched Sansa I would rip her throat out.”  
“Stupid girl,” he chided.   
“Excuse me, Ser Fuck the King? You have no room to talk.”  
Sandor snorted. “You’re supposed to be smarter than me. Better than me.”  
He listened to her rage for hours until all the wine was gone. She forced a servant girl to bring them more and when they were halfway through with those he finally asked, “Would it really be so bad. The boy’s stupid over you. Like you have a magical cunt or something.”  
Arya snorted. “I doubt my cunt is magical.” She sobered up a bit and frowned. “No, it wouldn’t be awful. Over the last month I’ve felt adrift. My list is finished and honestly I thought I would die finishing it. Now I don’t know what to do.”  
She swallowed some more wine. “I asked him to be my family when we were with the brotherhood. For him to go to Winterfell with me.”  
“You’ve had enough death, little wolf. The boy will let you be any kind of lady you want. He won’t care if you fight with a sword or lead armies.” Sandor gave her a sharp look like she was being stupid.  
She supposed she was as she had already thought that she would accept Gendry’s offer if he was still willing but only after spending a few years with her siblings. She had decided the night before they arrived. She just chafed at the fact that it was now and order and one to exert control over her sister. But it was better that she do this than Sansa go back into a marriage she didn’t want. She would never allow her sister to go through that again.   
Arya threw back the rest of her drink and stood. “Fuck the King. Fuck the Queen.”  
Sandor snorted. “Go to sleep little wolf.”  
She bared her teeth at him but left.   
She woke up as the sun was rising and slipped out of the keep. She stole a Sand Steed and rode north not caring that Ghost was trailing her. She went into the woods near the Crossroads Inn and tied up the horse. She then sat on the ground and finally broke down. She had her revenge and freed her sister. The war was over. After all this time she let herself grieve her family that she lost. She sobbed for her father. Her honorable father who always smiled when she picked him wildflowers and chuckled when he found her practicing archery when she was supposed to be practicing needlepoint. For her lady mother who loved her even though she was never as good of being a lady as Sansa. For Robb. Her brave brother Robb who fought so hard for his family and the North. For baby Rickon who was killed too young. For Syrio who sacrificed himself so she could escape and live. She sobbed for her innocence and freedom. She raged and cried for always having to be strong and survive terrible things. Having to watch her brother be paraded around with Grey Wind’s head sewed on his body. That Jon betrayed their family and allowed the Dragon Queen to force one of his sisters to marry a Southern lord to control them. She cried because she would never see Sansa or Bran again. She doubted the Dragon Bitch would allow her to go North and neither would ever go South.   
A wet nose pushed at her cheek and she looked up to see Nymeria’s warm golden eyes. She flung her arms around Nymeria’s neck and continued to sob. Nymeria whined but curled up around Arya. Arya cried until she had no more tears and screamed until she lost her voice.   
“I have to go south,” she rasped to Nymeria. “I’ll never go home again.”   
Nymeria shoved her with her head.  
“I wish you would come with me,” she said and hugged her again. She then went and mounted the steed preparing to go back. “I’ll miss you, girl.”  
She forced the horse to go and shocked to see Nymeria padding next to Ghost back to King’s Landing. She closed her eyes and smiled.   
She made it back late that night and she and Nymeria slipped into her room. She stopped short when she saw Jon sitting next to the fire with Needle on his lap.   
She knew she looked like shite. Her eyes were red rimmed and blood shot. “What do you want,” she rasped out.   
Jon flinched at her hoarse voice. “I’m sorry Arya.”  
She scoffed. “It doesn’t matter, Jon.”  
She went behind the screen and changed into her sleep breeches and tunic.   
“She wanted to put you, Bran and Sansa on trial for treason and burn you with dragon fire because you knew about my heritage and Sansa told Tyrion.” Jon whispered. “She found out after she agreed to allow the North independence. Having her name me King in the North, someone she could trust and feels she could control helped but she then demanded as punishment one of you marry. It was that or you would all be burned for treason.”  
Arya laughed as much as she could. “She’ll be a good queen. That’s what you told us, Jon. Still think so?”  
He flinched. “We needed her.”  
“Aye and I agree with that but she threatened to burn your family.”  
“I won’t let that happen,” he vowed.  
Arya just sighed. She was exhausted. “It doesn’t matter anymore Jon. She’ll have her hostage in the South and her pawn in the North. Now leave, I’m tired.”  
Jon rose. “This is yours.” He held out Needle. “I hope you can forgive me one day.”  
She huffed. “Your my pack, Jon. You always will be.” She grabbed Needle and laid it against her bedside table.   
“You found Nymeria?”  
“Aye, she’s decided to come with me to Storm’s End. Good night.” She patted the bed and Nymeria curled around her. 

Jon sighed heavily as he shut Arya’s door behind him. He’d never seen her so broken before. He trudged to his room. It had taken everything in him to persuade Daenerys that his siblings weren’t planning treason and pointed out that they took the Iron Throne for her and gave her a bloodless war. It was harder with Sansa since they both disliked each other and that she told Tyrion but he kept repeating that Sansa didn’t care about the Iron Throne and only wanted to be free in the North. With help from Tyrion they finally talked her down and into keeping her word though she stated that Jon would rule, not Sansa. Both he and Tyrion argued about forcing Sansa to remarry Tyrion but it wasn’t until Tyrion brought up Gendry and Arya that she relented but only if they married instead.   
Jon thought that she was trying to kill him and warned her that the meeting with Arya would go bad. She didn’t listen and it went just about how he thought it would. He spent an hour placating her after the meeting instead of shouting ‘I told you so’ like he wanted to.   
His heart shattered when she threw Needle at him and called him a traitor. He spent the day watching her through Ghost’s eyes as his baby sister broke down in the woods and screamed and cried in rage, sorrow and grief. At least Nymeria was back with her.   
Jon entered his room and bit back a sigh. Daenerys lay on his bed waiting on him, like he had waited on Arya.  
“Did she return?” she asked.   
“Aye,” he bit out and went to change.   
Her eyes widened at his curt response.   
“I’m tired, Dany,” he said. “It was a hard day.”  
“She’ll be fine,” she tried to console him. “She like the boy. That is more than I had in my first marriage.”  
“Aye she likes him but she already said no.” He shook his head. “I just got my family back. Just got her back and now she’s ripped away and she’ll never see Sansa or Bran again. She hates me for this. I hate me for this.” He admitted putting his head in his hands.  
“If you hadn’t told them then this wouldn’t be an issue,” she snapped.  
“I won’t lie to my family. Besides I abdicated my claim to the Iron Throne and will be your pawn in the North. You got everything you wanted.”  
“I’m losing you to the North. I miss you,” she said touching his shoulder.   
“You could have had me here with you,” he said moving away from his touch. “If Sansa was Queen in the North I could remain here with you. Marry you. She wouldn’t plot against you. I’m going north to be King because that is what you demanded.”  
She glared at him.  
“You can’t have it both ways. I’ve told you, Tyrion told you and Arya’s told you that all Sansa wants is for the North to be free. She’s even told you that. I get that you don’t like her and you don’t trust her but you can’t send me up there to rule and then complain that I’m not here.”  
“Sansa was tortured and abused here. Cersei and Joffrey used her as their plaything. She watched as her betrothed promised mercy and then cut off her father’s head in front of her with the Stark ancestral blade. Joffrey forced her to go out and see his head on a spike and all the heads of the Stark household. He had his Kingsguard beat her and strip her in front of the court. She was forced into a marriage with Tyrion. Yes, he was kind but his family was responsible for the slaughter of Robb and her mother. When she escaped she found herself the pawn of Petyr Baelish. Her aunt tried to kill her because Petyr kissed Sansa against her will. Then she was sold to the Boltons where she was beaten, raped and tortured every single night. When we took back the North I vowed to her I would always protect her. When I bent the knee she felt she lost all protection she had. She just wants to be safe and the only way to do that is to have the North independent.”  
Daenerys’ eyes were wide with horror and shock.   
“Now please, I need to sleep. I have to ride up and let Sansa know that she’s gotten the safety she craves but that she’ll never see Arya again and I’m not sure how to tell her that.” Jon turned away from her too angry at her to care that she didn’t know any of Sansa’s story. He had been assured by three people that Sansa didn’t want her throne but refused to listen.  
“Jon.”   
He ignored her and finally felt the bed shift and then a few minutes later the door open and shut. 

Daenerys went off to Tyrion’s room and found him pouring over paperwork.  
“Your Grace,” he said when he noticed her. “What’s wrong?”  
She sat down in front of the fire and Tyrion joined her. “Jon just told me everything that happened to Sansa. Is it true?”  
Tyrion’s face shuttered. “She… Sansa Stark is the strongest person I’ve ever known.”  
Daenerys hesitated. “He said she was tortured here and with the Boltons.”  
Tyrion swallowed hard. “When I arrived to be Hand I tried to stop the public beatings. After that it was mostly just physiological torture. As for the Boltons… the rumors were that every night her screams could be heard throughout Winterfell.” He cleared his throat. “You saw what he did to Theon Greyjoy… I can only imagine what he did to her.”  
“I didn’t know,” she said as if asking for his absolution.   
“I know. When we were up North the only time someone mentioned Ramsay, Jon pulled out Longclaw and the man shat himself.”   
“He hates me,” she whispered tearing up.  
Tyrion got up and put his hand on hers. “He doesn’t hate you, my Queen. He’s upset and worried about his sisters. He’s also probably worried about how Sansa is going to react to the news about Arya. I was going to ask the girl to write to her sister and lie saying this was her choice. It might make things easier.”  
“I don’t trust her, Tyrion. I feel bad that she had to go through all that but I just can’t trust her.”  
Tyrion sighed. “I understand. But you can understand why she was so uncertain with you?”  
“I’m not your sister, your nephew or the Boltons though,” she argued.  
“I know that, but she doesn’t know you. All she knew was her safety and protection was gone, again. She also had to deal with all of the Northern Lords who were angry over Jon’s decision.”  
“I want a ruler I can trust but I don’t want to lose him,” she said.   
“Sansa will never go against Jon. Not if he was King in the North again or if he was King here, married to you. I still think that is the smartest move as the Northern lords no longer trust Jon and if he’s married to you, no one could try to try and use him to supplant you.”  
She sighed. “I will think on it.” 

Arya woke up in the middle of the night to Nymeria whining. She was breathing hard and Arya started to panic a bit. fretted about until half an hour later when she realized that Nymeria was giving birth. By the time the sun rose there were four pups and a very tired Nymeria.   
Arya ran and burst into Jon’s room and jumped on his bed. “Jon! Get up!”  
“Wha?” he asked groggily grabbing for Longclaw.  
“Come quick!” She pushed him out of his bed and then grabbed his hand and drug him back to her room.  
“Look!”  
His jaw dropped when he saw the four suckling pups.   
“Two boys and two girls.”  
“How?” Jon asked dumbly.  
Arya rose her brow incredulously.   
He shoved her. “I didn’t mean that. I meant, is the father a direwolf too.”  
Arya wrinkled her nose. “I’d assume. The other wolves in her pack were too small and we know that other direwolves fled south and were seen in the Wolfswood in the past few years. Makes sense one went south to her or she went North to mate. They’re larger than normal wolf pups.”  
Jon nodded.   
She picked up the light furred one and held it up. “You should take this one to Sansa and that boy to Bran.”  
“Are you sure?”  
She nodded. “Of course. They’re Starks of Winterfell and they need a direwolf. The other two can come with me to Storm’s End.”

Two weeks later after all the Lords had come to swear fealty to Daenerys she announced that she would be wedding Jon Targaryen and that Sansa Stark was the new Queen in the North. Arya had stayed in her rooms the entire time and when Jon came to announce he was riding North to provide Sansa with the decree that Daenerys recognized the North as an independent kingdom she handed him the two pups and said her goodbyes.   
She saddled up the Sand steed she claimed as her own and with the two pups in a pouch on her lap she headed south to Storm’s End. Gendry had remained in Winterfell helping with repairs and was heading south. She made Jon swear that they would not tell Gendry the condition of her having to marry him and he promised neither him nor Daenerys would mention it to him. She told him that Gendry wouldn’t tolerate it if Arya was forced into it.   
She was out of King’s Landing and almost at the Kingswood when Sandor appeared next to her.   
“What are you doing?”  
“That city stinks like shite and the cunts there are driving me mad. Decided I’ll go with you Little Wolf.”  
She smiled at him and they rode the rest of the way in silence. She arrived at the castle and announced to the Castellion that she was Arya Stark of Winterfell, betrothed to Gendry Baratheon, Lord of Storm’s End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.   
He took one look at Nymeria and then the Hound and allowed her entrance. All of the servants were scared stiff by Nymeria but she allowed her free reign and just sighed every time they flinched.   
She thanked Maester Luwin each day for teaching her how to manage a household as she set about getting Storm’s End in order. She took petitions every day and spoke to Maester Jurne each night to make a plan for the next day. 

Gendry had rode south with Jon after he came up to tell Sansa he was marrying Daenerys but that the North was fully recognized as an independent kingdom. The Lords all named her Queen in the North before he could mention that part of the decree. He also presented her and Bran with the direwolf pups saying they were from a litter Nymeria had and Arya sent them with Jon.   
Gendry had asked Jon about Arya and he said that she had left the city the same day he did but didn’t mention where she was going. He tried not to be disheartened but he wished he could see her once more. To ask her to just be with him. Tell her that she didn’t have to be a lady. He loved her and would accept anything she could give.   
He swore fealty to Daenerys and Jon in the new clothes that Sansa made for him. A Lord has to dress according to his station Gendry, she said as she handed him the trunk of clothing. Davos said he would be going with Gendry to help him get settled and learn to be a lord.   
His eyes widened when he saw Storm’s End. It wasn’t sprawling like Winterfell but it was still very large and the tower shot up like a spiked fist thrusting at the sky. He had created a great antlered helm similar to the drawing of the one his father wore in battle and Davos bullied him into wearing it on their approach. Davos called out to the Castellion who they were and they were let in.   
The Castellion, Ser Gilbert Farring, met him as he dismounted and took of the helm.   
“My Lord!” he bowed. “Your betrothed has already arrived and she’s currently holding court and listening to petitions in the Round Hall.”  
“My what?” Gendry asked confused but followed the man as he led them in the tower. He stopped abruptly at the entrance of the hall.   
Arya sat in the smaller of the two thrones on the dais in the hall. A large direwolf lay at her feet as she listened to a man complain about raiders near his village.   
“I will send twenty of our best men to route them out and bring them forth for judgement,” she said, nodding to the Maester who was talking notes and the man thanked her before going back to his seat.   
Arya then looked up and him and shot him a smirk. Rising she announce, “Lord Baratheon! It is good to see you home, safe from your journey North.”  
Everyone rose and bowed and he ignored them all and strode up to her.  
“What are you doing here?” he asked and then winced. “I mean, not that I don’t want you here. I do. Want you here that is.”  
She just laughed. Then she shot him a somewhat shy look. “Ask me again.”  
She didn’t need to clarify.   
“Be with me? In whatever way you can. I know you’ve never been a lady but I want you to be in my life.”  
“Yes,” she replied pushing his shoulder. “Stupid bullheaded boy.”


End file.
